I just finished watching two of the smartest shows on TV, and now I can’t wait for them to come back next season.

The first was “Veep” on HBO, which is smart and quirky at the same time, like the sweet and salty kettle corn I was eating while binge viewing. Julia Louis-Dreyfuss is a comedic genius, from her timing to her delivery. Her wardrobe is stunning, and you can tell she’s been working out (pilates?) because she’s in great shape. The characters are also brilliant, from Gary, the Veep’s “bag man”, played by Tony Hale, to Amy, her chief of staff, played by child star Anna Chlumsky, and all the others. I especially love how the Veep stands up to her chauvinistic male colleagues, no stranger to using profane language herself along the way. I have to admit I just discovered the show this past spring, and quickly became addicted, sometimes watching three and four episodes in one sitting.

The second show is called “Episodes” on Showtime, starring Matt LeBlanc as himself— or more accurately, a version of himself. It is a wicked comedy which underscores the seedier aspects of network television. At times it hits a bit close to home for those of us who have spent a lifetime in this business. But LeBlanc is magnificent, playing a man who never thinks about the consequences of his actions. In the show, he ruins the lives of a lot of people, yet somehow remains a lovable guy. And he’s okay with jokes that come at his expense, which is so NOT Hollywood. “Episodes” has also been around for three seasons, but once again I just discovered it a couple of months ago.

There’s one advantage to discovering a show late into its run. It’s extremely satisfying to binge watch a great show! The only thing keeping a person from watching another episode is the time-to-go-to-sleep head bob. The first show I ever binged on was the superb “House of Cards” on Netflix, which of course was released an entire season at a time to indulge viewers hungry for a good drama.

Up next, I think I’ll start watching “Homeland.” I know, I’m late to the party on this one. I’ve heard great things about it. But for those of you who are already up to date on “Homeland,” please do me a favor and don’t spoil it for me by spilling the beans on the plot twists.

The advancement of diversity in America is always a concern. However, it’s a mission for Los Angeles news anchor Laura Diaz of Fox 11. And since her early days as an up and coming Latin born news reporter evolving to her current role as a recognized leader in television, Laura Diaz has showcased her passion and resolve for ensuring that diversity should always be at the forefront of several industries, especially the arts.

Laura Diaz Role in Shaping Diversity in Performing Arts Community

Los Angeles is well known for being an entertainment capital. With Hollywood being located in the Los Angeles metro area, some of the biggest and most influential people in entertainment make their living in the City of Angels. But for Laura Diaz, diversity is something that needs to develop at lower levels in order to create effective change. And her active role as a leader in the Pasadena Playhouse and their diversity counsel has given her a unique platform to enact positive change from the ground up in one of the biggest entertainment capitals of the world.

The Pasadena Playhouse – A Rich History of Diversity

The Pasadena Playhouse has a rich history in creating new methods and adaptations of some of the world’s best theatrical performances. Located in the heart of Pasadena, a community rich with history and diversity, the Playhouse also takes pride in their dedication to showcasing the rich culture and diversity which exists in the host city. This is where Laura Diaz helps the Playhouse expand its reach.

Southern California Girl Laura Diaz – Giving Back to Her Community

Laura Diaz went to college at Cal Poly Tech in San Luis Obispo. But don’t let that fool you – Laura Diaz is a Southern California girl through and through. Growing up in a Latin American family in the Los Angeles metro area, Laura Diaz was inspired by performing arts at a very young age. In fact, her passion for the arts led her to obtain her BA in English from Cal Poly. She has a deep rooted history in the performing arts community and as such wanted to have an active role in the development of effective diversity programs in the community in which she lives and works.

One of the biggest inspirations for Laura Diaz is the fact that So Cal is one of the most diverse populations in the United States. This fact allows Laura Diaz to blend the best of both worlds; her love for arts and a rich diverse climate to inspire others to embrace the same traditions and positive attributes of creating more awareness to cultural diversity.

With a professional career that is approaching is fourth decade, Laura Diaz continues to make positive marks on the community in which she has lived, works and has provided so much for her in the past. Her work with the Pasadena Playhouse as well as the ongoing mission to help increase diversity awareness throughout the LA basin, and the entire State of California has proven that Laura Diaz is dedicated to the positive advancement of the community she loves.

There are times in every professional journalist career when they become personally connected to a news story they cover. This was the case in 2002 when Los Angeles television personality Laura Diaz reported on the tragic murder of Samantha Runnion, a beautiful little girl who was sexually abused and murdered by a vicious predator. And though this initial reporting, Laura Diaz developed a mission to ensure this type of tragedy could be transformed into a positive for years to come.

How Laura Diaz Started Her Career in Television

Laura Diaz is no stranger to the millions of television views in the Los Angeles metro area. In fact, she has been a veteran of the LA air waves since her humble beginning in the late 1980′s. An award winning television anchor and current anchor on Fox 11 in Los Angeles, Laura Diaz has taken her passion for factual and un-bias news reporting to an entirely different level. But, as professional and trustworthy as she has become during her sterling news anchor career, her personal devotion to making a positive impact on her community was altered with the tragic loss of Samantha Runnion.

About Samantha and How Laura Diaz Became Connected to Her Story

Samantha was a joyful young lady. Enjoying the common traits of any little girl living in Los Angeles including reading, writing stories, drawing, painting and singing and dancing, Samantha Runnion was the prototypical little girl. She looked forward to becoming a mother and growing up to be a successful woman like Laura Diaz had become during her rise to the airwaves. However, those goals were ripped away from her when she was sexually abused and murdered.

As a professional journalist, it was the job of Laura Diaz to report the news. But something about this story tugged at the heart strings of this professional news anchor. Laura Diaz developed a positive relationship with Samantha’s mother Erin during this time period. She reported on this story more intensely than any other news anchor in Los Angeles, and decided to try to turn this horrible tragedy into a positive for other children.

Turning a Tragic Event into a Personal Mission for Laura Diaz

Laura Diaz became an active member on the advisory board of “The Joyful Child Foundation”, a non-profit organization which works to organize neighborhood watch programs around the United States to ensure children stay safe from sexual predators like the one who killed young Samantha. She has continued to work with this foundation by using her vast resources to create new relationships to ensure every child is protected from potential tragedy.

It is not uncommon for news reporters like Laura Diaz to become personally invested in a story. However, it is very rare that they actively search for solutions to the problems. It is for this reason that Laura Diaz from Fox 11 has separated herself from the rest of the media and remains a positive inspiration for all.

The Career of Laura Diaz

Born in Santa Paula, California, a very small community located in Ventura County in California, Laura Diaz is a first-generation Mexican-American and a very well-known television anchor in the area of Southern California.

Her career as a television anchor began way back in 1985 when she did the weekend spots on TV. In 1988, only three years later, she was hired by KABC-TV to do the evening newscasts during the week at 6:00 p.m. The year 1997 was a historic year for Laura Diaz when she became the lead anchor for the station’s newscasts at 5:00 and again at 11:00 p.m.

This promotion made her the first Hispanic and the first woman to have such a prestigious position at a television station in Los Angeles that was completely aired in English. In addition, this assignment enabled her to cover many stories that were historic and captivated the station’s audiences, such as the Los Angeles riots, where she along with her crew of cameramen encountered threats at gunpoint from those involved, and the Northridge earthquake.

Throughout all of her TV appearances, Laura Diaz Fox 11 has remained calm, on the ball and perhaps that is one of the things that captivates the audience and brings them back for more. She has a natural talent when it comes to the camera and entertaining people.

In September 2002, Laura Diaz moved to KCBS-TV and became the co-anchor of the news at 5:00 and 11:00 p.m. on the CBS affiliate station. At first, Harold Greene was her co-anchor who was then later replaced by Paul Magers. She was able to do a lot of traveling for the station and covered stories on Ground Zero in New York City, illegal immigration in the town of Sasabe on the Mexican border and prison overcrowding in the Caliatria State Men’s prison near the Salton Sea.

In addition, she was part of the 11:00 news team that was a first-place winner in the sweep of May 2006, which was the first last news victory for the station in a sweep month in which the Olympics were not held since the 1960s.

When the groundbreaking Vista L.A. television series first aired on KABC-TV, Diaz was one of the original hosts. This program was the first in Southern California that was public affairs related in nature and served the Latino audience in the region who spoke English as well. The coveted Imagen Award was given to the show twice when Diaz was one of its co-hosts. Her work on the show also enabled her to win three Emmy Awards.

In April 2010, Diaz became the single anchor of the CBS2 News at 6:00 and 11:00 p.m. during the weekday evenings. During that time, she also produced and hosted a special series for the station, called “Eye on Our Community.” This TV show aired a broadcast that she produced on the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11th.

She then left the station to produce shows under her own banner. “Eye on Our Community” and Diaz won an Imagen Award as the Best Informational Program.

In May 2012, Laura Diaz received an offer from and joined the weekend news broadcasts of FOX owned stations KTTV and KCOP in Los Angeles as a co-anchor staring along with Susan Hirsuna. She continues to provide excellent reporting and serve as a role model for the Hispanic community of southern California.

Anchor Laura Diaz is now co-hosting Fox 11 Los Angeles weekends with Susan Whatsherbucket [insert "Foxes on Fox" joke here ]. No disrespect meant, she looks lovely – I just forgot! I hope Laura Diaz thrives in this spot, and I look forward to being able to catch one of my fave Latinas 3 times a day on Saturday and Sunday.

I’ve looked around at other sites about anchor Laura Diaz,and other than her own official website lauradiazonline.com, they are all sadly lacking. No current news for her fans to see, and no official Fan site So,I’ve decided to fix that! I saw that the website http://www.lauradiaznews.com/ was coming opento register,soI grebbed it! I think it’s time for Laura Diaz to have her own Official Fan Club — and that’s my goal for LauraDiazNews.com. Stay tuned!

Breaking News! Well, semi-breaking Our fave Latina anchorwoman has left KCBS –and good riddance to that station, is what I say. Laura announced back in September that she’d be leaving “to produce projects under her own banner” according to the official press release (via LA Observed). And, I am hoping she’ll be able to either find a new position that will make better use of her talents in prime time, instead of relegating her to fluffy pieces in the 6pm slot (as I’ve previously complained); or, perhaps she’ll make more of the harder-hitting long-form pieces she’s famous for.

Meanwhile, I’m psyched to see that Laura Diaz has graduated from a facebook personal profile to an official fb Fan Page (probably prompted by nearing 5,000 ‘friends’ She’s a Public Figure of course! http://www.facebook.com/lauradiazanchor

Also, a new was recently to Laura Diaz’s official site showing that whatever she’s up to professionally, Laura Diaz is still very involved with the community here in Los Angeles http://www.lauradiazonline.com/outreach.html

If you’re in LA (or, really anywhere that gets KCBS2/KCAL9), then you’re familiar with Laura Diaz, anchor for the 6pm news. Why do I trust this woman so much?? I’m a pretty critical thinker, especially when it comes to local news, but for some reason I always feel this lady is speaking truth to me. Why is that?

I guess part of it is the fact that Laura Diaz seems so plugged-in for a news anchor in the traditional medium of television. She has a blog, she tweets, she’s even on Youtube…seriously, where does she find the time? Just starting to write this blog is kicking my ass, time-wise. A second thing I appreciate about Laura Diaz is that she seems like she has a good heart. Lots of celebrities sit on the board for this charity or that organization, but this busy newsanchor really believes in the issues she supports, and puts her valuable self to work right on the front lines.

Also, she’s so pretty!

OK, OK, I’ve gushed enough for a little while — here’s some other ways to find CBS anchor Laura Diaz: